How Do I Stop Waking Up With Neck Pain?

dawnmariept
Feb 8, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Apr 21

We spend 8 hours a night sleeping. Hopefully. If we are continually waking up with neck pain, we need to asses if the position we are sleeping in is compressing and irritating our joints. If so, correcting it can give us a head start to healing. To start with, the best positions for optimal spine health is on your side or on your back.

Optimal Sleeping Positions for Neck Health: Stop waking up with neck pain

I do not recommend sleeping on your stomach if you have neck issues, as it is challenging to avoid putting your neck in a compressed position. Instead, aim to find a sleeping position that minimizes stress on your neck. Spending eight hours in an optimal position can significantly improve your neck health. Poor positioning can compress irritated joints, and the thickness of your pillow—whether too flat or too thick—can exacerbate these problems.

When sleeping on your side, a pillow that is too flat may cause your head to drop toward the bed, leading to compression on the side of your neck. Conversely, if your pillow is too thick, your neck may bend toward the ceiling, which can compress sensitive joints on that side. This is why the market for neck pillows is so extensive. Consider creating your own cervical pillow to see if it alleviates your discomfort and you stop waking up with neck pain.

To assess your neck position, have someone take a photo of your head, neck, and shoulders from behind. This can help you determine if your neck is bent to one side. Make adjustments to your pillow to achieve the most neutral position possible, which I refer to as the position of least stress (PLS).

Happy non compressed neck sleeping!